The Women Step Up At The Billabong World Junior Championships Gold Coast

BURLEIGH HEADS, Queensland/Australia (Sunday, 22 January, 2012) - Today saw a slight decrease in swell size at Burleigh Heads for Day 2 of the Billabong World Junior Championships Gold Coast, and the call was made to run Rounds 1 and 2 of the Women's event. The women went for it in the fun 2 foot (1 meter) surf, putting on a good show for the hundreds of onlookers lining the Burleigh Headland.

Sarah Baum (ZAF) was the talk of the town today after starring in the last heat of Round 1. The young lady from Durban, South Africa used her powerful backhand attack to post the highest heat total of the event thus far - 18.53 (out of a possible 20).

Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) who recently relocated from Crescent Head, NSW to the Gold Coast, put her pointbreak experience to good use today after taking out her Round 1 duel with her younger sister Holly-Sue Coffey (AUS) and current ASP Women's World Junior ratings leader Joanne Defay (FRA).

"It's good to surf against my sister, but it's also nerve racking because if she beat me she'd never let me live it down," Ellie-Jean Coffey said. "I'm so thankful to Billabong for giving me the wildcard into this event, I've got no pressure and nothing to lose, but everything to gain."

Leila Hurst (HAW) is currently 2nd on the ASP Women's World Junior ratings and is looking for a solid result here at the Billabong World Junior Championships Gold Coast to help her claim the ASP Women's World Junior title.

Dimity Stoyle (AUS) put on a show for the Sunday crowd at Burleigh Heads today, catching 13 waves and posting some scores in the excellent range courtesy of her smooth style.